Page 26 of Avery's Hero

She’s like a puppy, all fresh-faced and eager, and I’m like an old junkyard dog that absolutely cannot learn a new trick.

This thing between us would have never worked, even if she didn’t start working for me. Even thinking I could date Avery was a foolish whim. A moment of desperate loneliness. A need to connect with someone who would understand what it was like to be married to the fire department.

I grab the little, fat blond fur ball by the scruff and tug him away from her. Okay, so he’s not so blond at the moment. “He’s ready to be in a Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.”

As I bundle him in the crook of my arm, he turns his kisses toward me. I have to squeeze my eyes shut as he goes crazy on my face. Before I know it, I’m laughing. Like I haven’t in a long, long time.

When I wrangle him away and open my eyes, Avery’s looking at me. Her smile is gentle. She’s got a look that I can’t quite name. Like she’s seeing me for the first time.

After an awkward silence with us staring at each other, she says, “You look cute with a puppy in your arms.”

“Yeah, well, you look pretty funny laying there covered in green goop. Like you weren’t enough of a mess already.”

I offer her a hand again. “Come on. Let me tug you out from underthere.”

Gripping her wrist, I pull her, and she slips right out into the sunshine on a slip-and-slide of green slime.

When she stands up, she’s flush with a bright, excited light in her eyes. We’re inches apart. Close enough to kiss.

Her breathing is rapid. My heart is making a racket.

Before I can stop myself, I’m swiping my thumb over her bottom lip. “You had some avocado there.”

She blinks up at me like she sees right through my half-truth. She does have avocado everywhere. Just not on her lip.

The puppy squirms and whines, and she pulls him from my arms. “Look at you, cutie.” She flashes her eyes to me. “I wasn’t talking about you, by the way. Not that you’re not cute, but you look like a bear that ate a porcupine right now.”

I sigh, knowing my frown is epic.

Ignoring me, she smiles, hugging the little dog, and says, “I just love being a firefighter. You never know what you’re going to get to do.”

Yep. Roger that. I never saw this one coming.

Damn. Damn. Damn. I clear my throat and look out over the chaos of cars facing every which way. Feels kind of like my brain right now, a scrambled mess that’s going to be a bitch to clean up.

CHAPTER TEN

Back at the fire station, hours later, we get a round of applause from the crew.

“You two were on Facebook!” Frank says as he wiggles his phone in our direction. “The Great Green Puppy Rescue!”

“Good, fucking grief,” Brock mutters as he tears off his avocado covered T-shirt. “I’ll never live this down. The fire chief isn’t supposed to be the laughing stock of the town.”

I’m still grinning.

Big, brave Brock, sliding all over the place, chasing that puppy was too flipping adorable. I can’t wait to see the pictures people snapped.

Ohmy god—and the puppy kissing his grumpy face… that was too much for any heart to take.

“Hey, Chief, you still have green stuff on your face, you know?” I say with a wink to Frank.

Brock rolls his eyes. I have a feeling he’s fighting the impulse to flip us both off, but he just walks.

He shouts over his shoulder, “I’m not the only one, guacamole queen.”

As Frank and Reeves laugh, I finger-comb my ponytail. “I’m a mess. I got ashes all over me at the warehouse arson scene, plus all this avocado. Ick. This stuff is setting up like concrete in my hair. I need to get this out fast.”

Hustling toward the second floor bunk room, I’ve got one thing in mind—A hot shower. After gathering my towel, toiletries, and fresh clothes, I hurry down the hall to the locker room where the showers are located.

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